The Story of Lily and James
by VobisNeminemSum
Summary: M for possible adult themes and language in future chapters. The story of Lily Evans and James Potter, from the beginning of their 5th year to their Hogwarts graduation. My first fic, reviews welcome and flames, too, if deserved.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **This story is not owned by, part of or associated with J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros, Scholastic or Bloomsbury. The characters, setting, classes, themes, etc. are the intellectual property of J.K. Rowling. I own nothing.

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Chapter One:

Lily Evans sat hunched over on one of the squashy scarlet armchairs in the Gryffindor common room. "Chaldean… what? How is anyone supposed to be able to remember… honestly, not even in the proper… oh, _that's_ how it… I had wondered…" she muttered to herself as she pored over a hefty edition of _Numerology and Grammatica_, pausing in her perusal only occasionally to jot down a note on the contents of the thick tome. Completely intent on her studies, she didn't even notice the audible footsteps of her self-declared enemy as he made his way down the wooden steps that led to the boys' dormitory.

"Lily? What are you still doing up?" came the deep voice of James Potter, startling Lily out of her reverie.

"Potter! Don't… it's not nice to sneak up behind people like that!" Lily's startled tone gave way to a harsh bite. "Even if kindness isn't a practice you approve of, which I presume you _don't_ after how cruel and spiteful you were to Sev today, just because I'm aware that he's actually a decent person and you're just a _wanker_… well, you shouldn't sneak up on people like… ugh. Well, if you're going to stay down here, I'll just go to my dormitory."

"No, no, Evans, I didn't mean to interrupt you. I just couldn't sleep. Go back to your, well, whatever it was you were doing." Ignoring the jab directed at him by means of his earlier spat with Lily's best friend, a Slytherin, he caught sight of her textbook and, running his hand through his already disheveled hair, continued "Arithmancy! Go back to your Arithmancy, if that's what you do in your spare time…."

"Sorry, Potter, just the sight of you puts me off of, well, anything and everything I happen to be doing."

"Aww, Lily-flower, you wound me!" smirked James, putting his hand over his heart. "But, in all seriousness, Evans, term's hardly started, we don't have any classes yet, and you're studying _Arithmancy_? Professor Vector gives enough work that you shouldn't need to study without it being required." James had decided in third year to take Arithmancy for the sole reason that Lily Evans was taking it.

"_Don't_ call me 'Lily-flower'. And some of us actually _care_ about our O.W.L.s and, by extension, our futures, Potter. I'm going to bed now and I suggest you do the same. Wouldn't want your disgusting face to get any worse. Might damage your overinflated ego, although I'm not quite sure if that's within the realm of possibility." Came Lily's biting rebuff. James smirked again and said, "But you know you love me, my disgusting face, and even my overinflated ego… go out with me, Evans?"

"If I've told you once, I've told you a million times, Potter. Never! Rather the Giant Squid than you!"

"Aaah, you know you want me, Evans."

"You bloody _prat_, James Potter, I wouldn't go near you except to hex you if just being within a three-meter radius of you would save the entire Wizarding World from You-Know-Who!" As she huffed and spun on her heel, flouncing up the girls' stairs with her auburn mane swinging in the wind, she didn't notice the crushed and lifeless look that swept over the dark-haired teenage wizard's face for the faintest of seconds; if she had, maybe she wouldn't have said what she did just then: "I hope you _drown _in the Black Lake, Potter, I hope you wander into the Forbidden Forest and get torn apart by every ruddy creature in there! Twice! You… insufferable git, you… I _hate_ you!"

Long after Lily had reached the girls' dormitories, James stood there, mouth pressed tightly together in a line so thin that Professor McGonagall would have been proud. Looking closely, one could always through his stoic façade to the despondent turmoil brewing beneath his wide hazel eyes- the problem was, hardly anyone ever bothered to look closely. It took nearly an hour for James to finally ascend the spiral steps to his dormitory, and when he did, one could see it was with heavy heart at the thought of another year of the same- defeat at the hands of the most vulnerable and imperceptible of his very few Achilles' heels, Lily Evans.

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**Author's Note:** I'm sure you've heard this a million times already, but this is my first fic, so if it sucks, don't hate me. Read and review, flames welcome, but only if you think I really deserve them. N8) I'll try to update at least once every two weeks, whether or not anyone cares. -Sophia


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two:

James Potter sat with his three closest friends at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall at Hogwarts. This foursome called themselves "The Marauders" because they loved to cause trouble wherever they went. The popular and attractive James Potter and Sirius Black, the inseparable duo, were the undisputed leaders of the quartet. Remus Lupin, with his light brown hair and serious manner, was a prefect and the most studious of the talented group, and Peter Pettigrew, the last boy, was slightly chubby and shorter than the other three- of a bit lower than middling height- with a nervous look about him as he followed his companions in whatever they did. Currently, they were discussing James and Lily Evans' fight the previous night.

"Mate, after what we did to Snivellus yesterday you couldn't really have expected her to greet your company with open arms." Sirius was telling a disheartened-looking James.

"I _told_ you it would only lead to trouble. I _said_, very clearly, mind, my opinion on placing a chizpurfle on his wand. I _knew _that something bad would come of it! I said that Lily would be angry at you for it-" Remus lectured, not caring that his friends were looking very impatient and bored.

"Moony, it was _your_ idea!" Sirius interrupted. "How were _we_ supposed to know that he wouldn't use his wand all summer and wouldn't find it? It's not our fault his wand exploded _or_ that he couldn't properly afford a new one. He shouldn't have tried to hex us. If he hadn't, his wand would have remained… unexploded… and in disuse!"

"He would have used it at some point! And I was joking, as you knew, and I had just had several butterbeers. I was delusional enough to think you wouldn't actually _do _something like that!"

"Butterbeers aren't strong, Moony, you would have to drink Rosmerta's whole stock ten times over to get even a bit drunk!"

"Not all of us have been drinking firewhiskey since third year. I have a low alcohol tolerance and you _know_ that, it's your fault his head turned itself inside out and he's in the hospital wing. Not even the first day of term and you two manage to destroy his wand and land him in the hospital! You're lucky I haven't told McGonagall. I'm a _prefect _now, I ought to!"

"You would never tell, Moony. Besides, I'm certain that he was starting an unforgivable. How would that have worked out? Did you want me cruciated by Snivelly?" James chuckled and raised an eyebrow. "Prongs, mate, seriously, though- haha, get it, _Sirius?_- I think that Snape is getting involved with Voldemort." Here Sirius paused for effect, ignoring Remus's look of doubt and James' chuckle ("hehe… _involved!_ Snivelly's gotten in Voldy's pants!"), before continuing, "He's been hanging around Mulciber and Avery and James' parents have seen their families on Auror missions, either as Death Eaters or mingling with them. We need to find out what he's up to, because a Death Eater in the school, even with Dumbledore, means-"

"Evans!" shouted Peter. Sirius glared at him murderously, angry at the interruption.

"Wormtail, as much as I always appreciate hearing about Evans, I think Pads was trying to say something." Peter ignored James' admonition.

"_Evans_, simply smashing, simply _corking_ to see you as we discuss things. Things that you could easily hear, because you are _within hearing distance._ Right, Sirius?  
Sirius looked at Peter gratefully as he began to understand, and Remus looked worried. Lily, however, who had been walking along the Gryffindor table to seat herself near her friends and dorm mates, just looked at Peter oddly. "What is it that you didn't want me to overhear, Pettigrew?"

"Sorry, Lily, he was just being odd. Ate a funny piece of Shepherd's Pie, you know, he's feeling a bit sick." Intervened Remus. Lily nodded, still looking slightly suspicious, and continued over to where her friends sat.

"'Funny piece of_ Shepherd's Pie',_ Moony, is it even _possible_ for Shepherd's Pie to taste funny? Not at all! What was that?" Sirius began to rant.

"Wait… Moony, how come she lets you call her Lily, but if _I_ call her Lily, she bites my ruddy head off? That's… that's bloody unfair, that is!"

"Prongs, I'm a prefect, we have prefect duties together. How are we supposed to work together as the 5th year Gryffindor prefects if we can't even bring ourselves to call each other by our proper names?"

"Suppose you're right." James muttered dully as Professor McGonagall came around to hand them their schedules for the year. Once they had been received, they were quickly exchanged and the Marauders' elated whoops sounded across the table, mingling with the similar cries of their fellow students.

Sirius and James, as always, were in the same classes excepting Arithmancy- Sirius had taken Muggle Studies in its stead as he was sure it would annoy his pureblood purist parents. Remus and Peter had almost all of their classes with the two, the exceptions again being their electives, but this time both. "Well, suppose we ought to be off then?" said James. "First's Transfiguration, and McGonagall can be a right wanker when she's mad." After nodding and a few chuckles, the four teenage boys headed off to the first class of their O.W.L. year.


End file.
